Mail-bag crane.



No. 686,354. Patented Nov. 12, I90I. W. W. SHEA.

MAIL BAG CRANE.

(Application filed May 6, 1901.)

(No Model.)

OQCDOQQQQQQ UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM WALKER SHEA, OF. NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

MA lL-BAG CRAN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,354, dated November 12, 190 1.

Application filed May 6, 1901. Serial No- 59013. (No model.)

To a whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WALKER SHEA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nash ville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Mail-Bag Crane, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail-bag catchers and deliverers,and has for its object to provide improved means for mounting and supporting the lower arm of the crane so as to insure the folding of the arm when the bag is removed therefrom, and also to provide for conven-' iently engaging the opposite ends of the mailbag with the respective ends of the crane and to insure a prompt and uninterrupted disengagement of the bag when engaged by the catcher on a moving train.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanyin g drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mail-bag crane constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the fastening for connecting the ends of the mailbag to the arms of the crane. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the bracket for the mounting of the lower arm.

Like characters of-reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the standard or upright of the crane, which rises from the ground at a suitable distance from the railway-track and is provided with the usual upper and lower bag supporting arms 2 and 3, which are pivoted or hinged to the standard or ,post so that the upper arm flies upwardly and the lower arm downwardly when the bag is removed therefrom by the bagcatcher of a moving train.

t For the connection of the lower arm with the standard there is provided a substantially U shaped bracket at, that embraces the standard from the back thereof and is vertically adjustable thereon by means of a transverse fastening 5, to be received through one of a series of perforations 6, formed through the standard. The upper portions of the opposite sides of the bracket have corresponding outwardly projected perforate ears 7, be tween which the inner end of the lower arm is received and hinged thereto by means of a transverse pivot-pin 8, whereby the arm is adapted to fold downwardly against the front side of the standard, as indicated in dotted lines.

To support the arm in its extended position for the support of a mail-bag, one side of the bracket is provided with a pendent extension 9, to the lower end portion of which is pivotally connected an upwardly and outwardly inclined brace-rod 10, which has its outer free end provided with a fork orseat 11 for the reception of a lateral projection or stud 12 upon the intermediate portion of the arm 3, whereby the latter is held in its lateral position. When the bag is removed from the crane by the catcher of a passing train, the lower arm is swung upwardly by the jerking of the bag, whereby the projection is elevated from the brace-rod and the latter is drawn inwardly by a spring 13, connected to the brace and the bracket, whereby the brace is caused to assume a position shown by dotted lines and out of the path of the projection when the arm swings downwardly, whereby there is no support for the arm and it drops down against the front side of the standard.

The outer end of the lower armcarries a projection or pin 14, upon which is pivotally mounted the present form of bag-fastening 15 in lieu of that commonly employed at this point and for engagement with the ring in the lower end of the bag 16, which is also of common or well-known form.

It will be understood that the upper arm 2 is pivoted intermediate ofits ends, as at 17, upon the upper end of the standard, with its rear end Weighted or made the longer, so that when the mail bag is removed the upper arm will swing upon its pivotal mounting, so a as to throw the outer end upwardly and its rear end downwardly against the back of the standard in the ordinary manner.

For the connection of the upper endof the bag to the outer end of the upper arm there is provided a clamp comprising thereverselyarranged horizontally-disposed substantially U-shaped clamp members 18 and 19, of which the upper side of the clamp member 18 is provided with an intermediate eye 20 for the pivotal reception of a shouldered projection 21, carried by the outer end of the upper cranearm 2, whereby the clamp member is pivotally swung from the arm, there being a nut 22 applied to the outer end of the projection to prevent displacement of the clamp. To the outer end of the upper side of the clamp member 19 there is'rigidly connected a substantially L-shaped hand-lever 23, which lies above the clamp and in the same plane therewith, the clamp member 19 being pivotally connected to the outer end of the upper side of the opposite member at the connection of the lever and the former member, as indicated at 24,whereby the member 19 may be swung away from the other member by a downward pressure upon the lever to facilitate the engagement of the upper ring of the mail-bag. Lying longitudinally within the two members is a helical spring 25, the opposite ends of which are connected to the outer ends of the respective clamp members, one of these connections being adjustable and formed by means of a bolt or threaded pin 26,connected to the spring and passed slidably through a corresponding smooth opening in the adjacent clamp mem her and provided upon its projected end with a winged adjusting-nut 27, whereby the tension of the spring may be conveniently adjusted. The lower sides of the clamp members terminate short of one another and are extended downwardly to form the respective jaws 28 and 29, of which the former extends at substantially right angles to the clamp, while the latter jaw inclines downwardly and laterally toward the former jaw, with which it engages at a point substantially midway of its length, the jaw 29 then having a terminal pendent portion 30, that lies in mutual contact with the jaw 28 for the remainder of its length. The extremities of the jaws are reversely bent to form the braces 31 and 32, which are applied to the under sides of the respective clamp members to which they are connected, as at 33 and 34. It will be observed that where the outer terminals of the jaws are bent outwardly in opposite directions there is provided an entrance-opening having inwardly-convergent walls to facilitate the entrance of the upper ring 35 of the mail-bag intdor between the jaws. The upper side of the open space between the upper portions of the jaws is normally closed by means of a guard 36, that is connected to the inner face of the lower side of the clampmember 18 and has its outer end slidably overlapped with and resting upon the lower side of the opposite clamp member to prevent upward disengagement of the ring from the jaws.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the clamp members may be separated by manipulation of the lever, so as to facilitate the engagement of the ring 35 with the jaws, and when the handle or lever is released the jaws will be snapped together by means of the spring, thereby holding the ring against accidental disengagement therefrom, but permitting of the release of the bag by the catcher of a passing train. It will also be noted that the plane of the clamp is substantially parallel to the direc tion of the train and beyond the outer end of the crane-arm, whereby the impact of the catcher swings the clamp upon its pivotal connection with the arm in the direction of travel of the train, thereby tilting the clamp and preventing the ring from hanging or catching in either jaw of the clamp and insuring a prompt and uninterrupted release of the ring of the mail-bag. Moreover, as the lever-handle 23 is in the plane of the clamp it does not project laterally and offer a dangerous obstruction to the person who manipulates the catcher upon the train.

Although the bag-engaging fastening has been described and shown in detail as applied to the upper arm, it will of course be understood that the bag-fastening 15 upon the lower arm is a duplicate of that carried by the upper arm, the only difference being that the upper fastening depends from the upper arm, While the lower fastening rises from the lower arm when a bag is supported between the two fastenings.

In the event of the lower arm not being thrown upwardly by the removal of the mailbag by a train it is designed to have the arm slightlyelevated by the tension of the spring 13 to unseat the brace 10, and thereby permit of the arm dropping downwardly. This action is normally prevented by the presence of the mail-bag supported between the arms.

What is claimed is 1. A mail-crane, having a lateral bag-sup porting arm pivoted or hinged thereto, a brace carried by the crane and havinga detachable supporting engagement with the arm, and a spring constructed to withdraw the brace after the arm has been disengaged therefrom by the removal of the bag.

2. A mail-bag crane, comprising a standard, a lateral arm hinged or pivoted thereto, a brace pivoted to the standard and provided with a supporting engagement with the arm, the latter being constructed to swing upwardly out of engagement with the brace by the removal of the bag, and a spring connected to the brace and the standard for drawing the brace out of its supporting position.

3. A mail-bag crane, comprising a standard, a lateral bag-supporting arm hinged or pivoted to the standard to swing upwardly and downwardly,a brace pivoted to the stand ard and having a seat at its outer free end, a lateral projection upon the arm and constructed to be seated in the seat of the brace, and

a spring connected to the brace and the stand ard to draw the brace inwardly when the arm is unseated from the brace.

45. A clamp for mail-bag cranes, comprising opposite reversely-arranged substantially U-shaped members, the corresponding upper sides of which are pivotally connected,and the corresponding lower sides having pendent cooperating jaws, the upper side of one of the members having a pivotal support for application to a mail-crane, and the other member having a lever handle lying longitudinal above the pivotal connection and in the plane of the clamp members, a guard carried by the lower side of one member and overlapping the lower side of the other member, and a spring within the opposite members and having its opposite ends connected to the respective members to yieldably hold the jaws in mutual contact.

5. A clamp for mail-bag cranes, comprisin g opposite reversely-arranged substantially U -shaped horizontally-disposed members, which have the terminals of their upper sides pivotally connected, one of the members having an intermediate hanger-eye upon the upper side thereof, a spring within the members and connected to the outer ends thereof, a lever rigidly connected to the other member at the pivotal connection of the members, the lower side of said other member having a pendent jaw, with a brace between the latter and the member, the lower side of the opposite member having a pendent jaw that is inclined laterally into engagement with the former jaw and then continues downwardly in engagement therewith, there being a brace between the lower end of the jaw and the adjacent member, and a guard carried by the lower side of one member and overlapping the lower side of the other member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WALKER SHEA.

Witnesses:

M. J. MURRAY, L. L. TERRY. 

